A HEREFORDSHIRE-based charity, which is carrying out pioneering work to improve the mobility of disabled children, has been given £41,000.

Megan Baker House, near Leominster, is set to help even more children with disabilities gain life changing educational opportunities through a new staff training venture.

The centre, which helps children with cerebral palsy, brain damage and motor disorders and provides training and support for their carers, gained its major grant through the Leominster Market Town Programme funded by Advantage West Midlands.

Around 200 children a week use the centre's services in a converted barn at Moreton. There are only a handful of similar centres in the UK and the new grant will enable it to expand its work to offer training to carers, health service staff and teachers.

Courses will focus on integration and inclusion of children with disabilities. The new training arm will create three new jobs and help the charity boost its income.

The local economy is also set to grow through an increase in the number of overnight stays in the area - trainees will travel to the centre from around the country.

Jo Baker-Watson, the charity's director, said: "This grant will enable us to deliver training to those working with children with disabilities within educational and social settings. We've been able to create a social enterprise that will help fund the core activity of the charity and help even more children lead more independent lives and realise their dreams."

Henriette Lyttle-Breukelaar, of Advantage West Midlands, said Megan Baker House was a "unique resource nationally, regionally and locally".

Local councillor John Stone, deputy chairman of Herefordshire Council, said Megan Baker House was "a North Herefordshire success story". He was pleased the funding was creating more jobs.

The growing charity recently won a contract to provide training services to teachers in Brazil.